Distance measuring unit

Abstract

A distance measuring unit for measurement, based on signal time of flight, of a distance to an object, includes: an emitter configured for the emission of electromagnetic pulses, and sequentially into different emitter solid angle segments of the detection field, a receiver having a first face for detecting electromagnetic radiation, and imaging optics which image the detection field onto the first sensor face, and specifically each of the emitter solid angle segments onto a respective region of the first sensor face. The emitter solid angle segments follow one another along a scan axis, and correspondingly the regions of the first sensor face also follow one another along a first scan line. The first sensor face is subdivided into at least two pixels which adjoin one another on a first separating line. The first separating line extends at least in sections obliquely with respect to the first scan line.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A distance measuring unit for measurement, based on signal time of flight, of a distance to an object located in a detection field, the distance measuring unit comprising:
 an emitter unit which is configured for an emission of electromagnetic pulses, and specifically sequentially into different emitter solid angle segments of the detection field, 
 a receiver unit having a first sensitive sensor face for detecting electromagnetic radiation, i.e. for receiving echo pulses after a distance-dependent time of flight, and 
 imaging optics which image the detection field onto the first sensitive sensor face, and specifically each of the emitter solid angle segments onto a respective region of the first sensitive sensor face, 
 wherein the emitter solid angle segments follow one another along a scan axis, and correspondingly the regions of the first sensitive sensor face also follow one another along a first scan line, 
 wherein the first sensitive sensor face is subdivided into at least two pixels which adjoin one another on a first separating line, 
 wherein the first separating line extends at least in sections obliquely with respect to the first scan line. 
 
     
     
       2. The distance measuring unit of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the emitter unit comprises a mirror unit by means of which the pulses are emitted into the detection field, and specifically into a respective emitter solid angle segment in a respective tilt state of the mirror unit. 
 
     
     
       3. The distance measuring unit of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the mirror unit comprises a tiltable mirror face, and the emitter solid angle segments are spanned by tilting the mirror face, i.e. a respective tilt setting of the mirror face is assigned to each emitter solid angle segment. 
 
     
     
       4. The distance measuring unit of  claim 2 ,
 which is adapted to match signal components which are detected by the at least two pixels, and to determine therefrom the position of a respective irradiance distribution, which a respective echo pulse generates on the first sensitive sensor face, along the first scan line. 
 
     
     
       5. The distance measuring unit of  claim 3 ,
 which is adapted to determine the respective tilt setting of the tiltable mirror face from the signal components detected by the at least two pixels. 
 
     
     
       6. The distance measuring unit of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the first sensitive sensor face has a rectangular base shape, through which the first separating line extends diagonally. 
 
     
     
       7. The distance measuring unit of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the first separating line extends in a straight line. 
 
     
     
       8. The distance measuring unit of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the first separating line runs with a multiplicity of direction changes in such a way that a ratio of signal components which are detected by the at least two pixels in a respective region of the first sensitive sensor face, i.e. which are detected for a respective emitter solid angle segment, repeatedly increases and decreases along the first scan line. 
 
     
     
       9. The distance measuring unit of  claim 8 ,
 wherein the increase and decrease of the ratio of the signal components along the first scan line is aperiodic. 
 
     
     
       10. The distance measuring unit of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the receiver unit comprises a second sensitive sensor face, which is subdivided into at least two pixels which adjoin one another on a second separating line, which second separating line extends at least in sections obliquely with respect to a second scan line along which regions of the second sensor face, which are assigned to the emitter solid angle segments by means of the optics, follow one another. 
 
     
     
       11. The distance measuring unit of  claim 10 ,
 wherein the first separating line and the second separating line are at an angle to one another. 
 
     
     
       12. The distance measuring unit of  claim 11 ,
 which is adapted to form an average value from signal components which are detected by the at least two pixels of the first sensitive sensor face, and signal components which are detected by the at least two pixels of the second sensor face. 
 
     
     
       13. The distance measuring unit of  claim 12 ,
 wherein the mirror unit comprises a tillable mirror face, and the emitter solid angle segments are spanned by tilting the mirror face, i.e. a respective tilt setting of the mirror face is assigned to each emitter solid angle segment, 
 wherein the distance measuring unit is adapted to determine the position of the respective irradiance distribution, which a respective echo pulse generates on the first sensitive sensor face and the second sensor face, along the first and second scan lines with the aid of the average value formed from the signal components. 
 
     
     
       14. A motor vehicle, comprising:
 a distance measuring unit, comprising:
 an emitter unit which is configured for an emission of electromagnetic pulses, and specifically sequentially into different emitter solid angle segments of the detection field, 
 a receiver unit having a first sensitive sensor face for detecting electromagnetic radiation, i.e. for receiving echo pulses after a distance-dependent time of flight, and 
 imaging optics which image the detection field onto the first sensitive sensor face, and specifically each of the emitter solid angle segments onto a respective region of the first sensitive sensor face, 
 wherein the emitter solid angle segments follow one another along a scan axis, and correspondingly the regions of the first sensitive sensor face also follow one another along a first scan line, 
 wherein the first sensitive sensor face is subdivided into at least two pixels which adjoin one another on a first separating line, 
 wherein the first separating line extends at least in sections obliquely with respect to the first scan line. 
 
 
     
     
       15. A method for operating a distance measuring unit,
 the distance measuring unit, comprising:
 an emitter unit which is configured for an emission of electromagnetic pulses, and specifically sequentially into different emitter solid angle segments of the detection field, 
 a receiver unit having a first sensitive sensor face for detecting electromagnetic radiation, i.e. for receiving echo pulses after a distance-dependent time of flight, and 
 imaging optics which image the detection field onto the first sensitive sensor face, and specifically each of the emitter solid angle segments onto a respective region of the first sensitive sensor face, 
 wherein the emitter solid angle segments follow one another along a scan axis, and correspondingly the regions of the first sensitive sensor face also follow one another along a first scan line, 
 wherein the first sensitive sensor face is subdivided into at least two pixels which adjoin one another on a first separating line, 
 wherein the first separating line extends at least in sections obliquely with respect to the first scan line, 
 
 the method comprising:
 evaluating signal components, which are detected by the at least two pixels.